When looking for a budget
phone, there are just so many choices that picking the right one can
be very difficult/ daunting. Setting a budget of let's say, Php 3,000
to 4,000, will inevitably mean compromising on processor, screen,
RAM, camera or some other feature you feel is the least important to
you. I came across the Starmobile Navi when it was first released.
But with a price of Php 4,690, I didn't consider it at that time.
Today's sale price of P3,999 is well within my budget. You can easily
find good bargain phones for about 3k, but you will be limited to a
dual-core processor and 512MB RAM. This is one of the reasons I chose
the Navi. It seems to be one of the few in this price range with a
quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM. While it does have a quad-core
processor, it does not come with your usual MediaTek but rather a
Broadcom chip inside. Let's see in this review how it performs
compared to other phones in its class.
Specs:
- 1.2 Ghz
Quad-Core Broadcom 23550 ARM Cortex-A7 Processor
- Broadcom
VideoCore IV GPU
- 4” Capcitive Touchscreen WVGA (233ppi)
-
Dual SIM (Quadband GSM and 2100 3G HSPA+)
- 1GB RAM
- 4GM ROM
(expandable via MicroSd)
- 5MP rear and VGA front camera
- WiFi
b/g/n
- Bluetooth 4.0
- FM Radio
- GPS+AGPS+GLONASS
-
1500mAh Battery
- Android 4.2.2
- Php 3,999.00
Design
The
design of the Navi has the usual generic Android phone plastic look.
It does have a sparkly metallic finish on the back which helps a bit
in repelling fingerprints. Build quality is actually quite good, no
spaces or creeks. The curved back makes it nice to grip and the phone
itself is quite light weighing in at only 118g. It has a 4”
capacitive touchscreen and right away you can tell that it's not an
IPS display. When viewed straight on, it's actually quite good with
nice vibrant colors but look at it from an angle and it easily washes
out. Normally, this is not a problem but when using it in landscape
mode, you will need to keep adjusting your viewing angle to get a
clear view. Also, the screen gets easily washed out when taken
outdoors with bright sunlight.
Performance
The
first time I encountered a Broadcom chip was with my Samsung Galaxy
Grand. It was only a dual-core but it performed quite well and even
surprised me sometimes. After doing some benchmarks, it seems to be
at par with the quad-core chips like the MT6589 from MediaTek. While
benchmarks are not everything, it's everyday performance is actually
quite snappy and I didn't notice any lags when navigating through the
OS. I did my usual test and casual games had no problems at all. I
noticed longer load times with heavier games like Dead Trigger 2. But
once it loaded, performance was quite good. I'm glad Starmobile
decided to put an almost stock version of Android 4.2.2. However,
they did pre-install some apps which I wish they didn't. One of which
is a very annoying anti-virus app. I don't know why they did it since
most of the apps they put in are free anyway and you can easily
install them on your own. Thankfully, you can uninstall them. For
battery life, as is common with most smart phones, you will need to
manage it properly. I noticed a dramatic drop in battery life once I
turned on 3G and GPS and to be honest, I think the 1500mAH is just
not enough for all it's features.
Camera
One of the
features I was willing to compromise is the camera. Fortunately, it
comes with a 5MP camera and for the most part, photo quality is quite
acceptable as long as you use it in good lighting conditions. While
it may not have the fastest or most accurate auto focus, it will do
for casual shots and good enough for posting on favorite social
network. It also records video at 720p. I'll post some some shots
below.
Extras
One of the selling points of this phone
is its GLONASS support. Hence the name NAVI. I placed it on the
dashboard of my car and I was able to get a GPS lock in just a few
seconds which is faster then most other phones I've used. It also has
Bluetooth 4 and HSPA+ so it works pretty well as a mobile hotspot
too. Dual SIM management is pretty standard, although it does not
have contact binding, it does allow you to choose which SIM will have
the 3G connection. It also has a dual SIM Smart On mode.
Verdict
Like I mentioned at the beginning of this
review, when choosing a budget phone there are bound to be some
compromises. For the Navi, it seems to be the screen and the battery.
The battery can easily be fixed by a power bank but screen is
something you will have to live with. Since it is marketed as a
“Navigating” device with GLONASS, I wish Starmobile put a better
screen on it. However, for the quad-core, 1GB RAM, HSPA+ and GLONASS
alone, this is still a great buy and one that you should really
consider if this is within your budget.
The Good:
-
Quad-Core
- 1GB RAM
- Bluetooth 4.0
- GPS with GLONASS
-
HSPA+
- Android 4.2.2
The Bad
-
Screen viewing angle
- Battery life
About the battery life... typical usage call and text etc with only 2g and a bit of browsing using wifi will it last a day? planning to buy one this week and a bit worried about the battery life
ReplyDeleteIt will really depend on how you use the phone. Anytime you use mobile data it will really take a hit on battery life. In order to make it through an entire day you will have to turn on data and wifi only when you need it. But for just calls and text it will be just fine. Anyway you can always just buy a power bank.
DeleteMy girlfriend has the Navi and a problem she unexpectedly got from this phone is the double tap. Of course when playing games, you tap the screen many times but the phone would suddenly zoom in/magnify the screen. Did you have this problem too? Or is this a setting thing? If it is a setting, we can't find it in the manual. She has had the phone for a month now.
ReplyDeletesetting lang po yan..
Deletemay stock rom po b kau nito
ReplyDeleteMalakas po ba yung camera flash niya sa low light?
ReplyDeletePwede bang ipang-charge yung Li-Polymer na powerbank kahit na yung battery ng phone Li-Ion?
ReplyDeleteYes you can.
DeleteI already have a Navi phone but the battery doesn't last for a day even I turn off the wifi or even the data network. I charge it almost everyday, I don't usually use it for games or internet but after 2 and half hours of charging it automatically consume it battery life even on standby by mode only.
ReplyDeleteThe battery life is really one of the negatives of the Navi. It's also possible that you have an app using up the battery.
DeleteNavi has poor battery life.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately yes.
DeleteTANONG PO. pwde po ba gamitan to ng ibang battery? yung mas mataas ng konti ng capacity? na try nyo na po ba? reply me thanks sa email ko po. mike_maglalang07@yahoo.com or dito nlng din po thanks tlga.
ReplyDeleteWell, technically basta same voltage pero kahit higher mAh it should work but I don't have any extra battery to try it out.
Deleteah ganon po ba,sana may makapag try para if pwde mas ok. li-ion battery products sure meron kasukat para dito. sana tlaga super bilis ng phone n to battery lng tlga panalo na hehe well thanks a lot po :)
Deletegood day!! ung navi ko po, biglang d na nagpower on at d na rin nagchacharge.. ano po ba ung dapat gawin??
ReplyDeletehello mi. pareho po problem natin. last week, binuksan ko gadget ko para linisin lang ung lens cover. nung ibinalik ko na yung casing nya....ayaw ng mag "on" ung power. dinala ko sa service center ng starmobile kaso "wala daw silang gadget para ganung problema". yung sau po ba naayos pa? paano? salamat.
Deletehello mi. pareho po problem natin. last week, binuksan ko gadget ko para linisin lang ung lens cover. nung ibinalik ko na yung casing nya....ayaw ng mag "on" ung power. dinala ko sa service center ng starmobile kaso "wala daw silang gadget para ganung problema". yung sau po ba naayos pa? paano? salamat.
DeleteDalhin mo sa ibang service center ng Starmobile or sa mga nag repair sa greenhills
DeleteGood Eve! pwde po kayo gumawa ng ROM para lng sa Starmobile Navi??
ReplyDeletesir stock firmware po pls
ReplyDeletesorry wala ako stock firmware
ReplyDelete,,,,I will buy this as my 2nd phone.VERY GUD! google maps user ako.Forte ko navigation meron pang GLONASS, GPS + A-GPS at 4GB ROM...Drop price na 2,990k Can afford na sa budget!!!
ReplyDeletesir software po ng starmobile navi po plssss slamat po.
ReplyDelete.
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Deleteemail alng ako sir kung meron po salamat po
ReplyDeleteSorry wala akong software
DeleteHi sir good day! I have a problem with my navi po kasi bago lang ito nag 1 year this february.. everytime i use facebook or any apps for 1-2 hours ang dali po uminit ng phone and bigla po magwhite yung screen and maghang ang phone, hindi rin po ma off kailangan ko pa tanggalin yung battery then turn it on again..for 1 year ngayon ko lang ito naencounter sa phone ko.. Hope you can help me po. Thanks!
ReplyDeletePano po iopen
ReplyDeletePano po iopen
ReplyDeleteMy battery is new when i connect my charger it show charging but i noticed instead my battery is fullcharged it connting down until my battery is shutting down what should i do plss help me :(
ReplyDeleteMy battery is new when i connect my charger it show charging but i noticed instead my battery is fullcharged it connting down until my battery is shutting down what should i do plss help me :(
ReplyDeleteMy battery is new when i connect my charger it show charging but i noticed instead my battery is fullcharged it counting down until my battery is shutting down what should i do plss help me :(
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